Just the Way You Are
by melissarxy1
Summary: Another Lancitty songfic, the two are stuck in the rain and able to talk things through R&R please


Author's Note- Okay, it's official, I am obsessed with "Evolution" and Lancitty. My second song fic, this one set to Goo Goo Dolls' "Just the Way You Are" which I believe could also be the Lance/Kitty theme song. Set after "Mainstream."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
/I'm in love because I know you  
  
And I'm sorry I don't show you/  
  
~*~  
  
"Keety, hurry up," Kurt said. "Ve're going to be late."  
  
Kitty sighed. "Go ahead. I forgot my English book. Besides, I totally need to get some fresh air. Tell Scott I'm going to walk home."  
  
"Are you sure?" Kurt asked. Kitty nodded already heading back inside. She put her English book into her backpack before heading outside. Sighing, Kitty noticed the storm clouds in the distance "dark, ominous." Thunder began rolling as Kitty started on her way home.  
  
"Figures," she muttered. As she started walking a few drops of rain began to fall. "And I just had to wear my white shirt today." She looked up at the sky. "'And just when I thought things couldn't possible get any worse the sky opened up and the Lord said "I hate you, Kitty Pryde'!"" (AN- Little Rascals). She shivered slightly and began to think about him.  
  
"Why is the one guy I fell in love with a Acolyte-wannabe?" Sighing again she began to think of their last confrontation.  
  
.  
  
(This is the real you isn't it? You're nothing but a hood!  
  
Right! I'll never be good enough for you!)  
  
.  
  
Why had she even called him that? He looked so hurt. Stop it, Kitty! she told herself harshly. She sat down now completely soaked.  
  
~*~  
  
/And if I find that you ain't by me  
  
I'm afraid no one will know the things you see/  
  
~*~  
  
Lance glared at the windshield as the rain fell. Of all the times for his car to break down. "Damn it!" He got out and started walking. His new job at the mall had allowed him to afford a leather jacket so the cold didn't affect him. "Stupid Goddamned piece of shit!" he muttered still thinking about his car.  
  
This was not his week. Pietro was put in charge; Kitty had left him, now his jeep broke down. "God hates me," he whispered unaware that his thoughts mirrored a certain X-Man's. He walked flipped the collar of his jacket up to keep as much of him dry as possible. He froze seeing a girl up ahead. He walked towards her and saw that her shoulders were shaking slightly; he realized that she was crying. "Hey, are you-" He was cut off when she turned around.  
  
~*~  
  
/And all the things that you don't show me  
  
Like when you pretend that you don't know me/  
  
~*~  
  
Kitty froze seeing Lance. "Like, what are you doing here?" she said shivering and trying to keep him from seeing that she had been crying.  
  
"Jeez, Kitty, you're shaking," he said slipping off his jacket and slipping it across her shoulders. She held it close.  
  
"Thanks," she whispered.  
  
"My car broke down."  
  
She smiled wanly. "So I guess that leaves me asking you for a ride home out."  
  
"I remember a cave that's nearby from this summer," Lance said. "You want to wait the storm out there?"  
  
"Better than here," Kitty said still shivering. Lance nodded leading her away. They entered a fairly large cavern.  
  
"You should probably get out of those wet clothes," Lance said.  
  
"Nice try, Alvers," Kitty said hugging his jacket close to her body and sitting down.  
  
"Kit-Cat, you're shaking."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "I'm cold, duh."  
  
Lance sighed. "I'm going to go try to find some firewood. We might be here for a little while and I don't want you to catch pneumonia." He started to leave.  
  
"Do you, like, need any help?"  
  
"Stay there," he said. "I'll be right back." He left coming back five minutes later with a pile of wood that was actually pretty dry. He started a fire and the two moved close to it, unconsciously moving closer to each other at the same time.  
  
She slipped his jacket off to dry her shirt better. Lance glanced at her noticing that the shirt had pretty much become see-through in the weather, and that it was still pretty cold in the cave. He looked away clearing his throat and mentally kicking himself.  
  
"Are you okay?" she asked.  
  
He smiled at the fact that she was concerned for him. "I'm fine." She looked back into the fire. The two sat in awkward silence, their last words to each other running through their heads.  
  
"So, um, how're things at the Brotherhood?"  
  
"The usual, only now Pietro's the boss, so I'm working since he's not very good with *daddy's* money."  
  
"Where are you working?"  
  
Lance felt his face burn. "The GAP."  
  
"I can't believe I haven't seen you there."  
  
"Yeah, well, I work during school hours."  
  
"I know what Principal Kelly did to you guys. It was *so* wrong."  
  
"Thanks, pretty kitty. So, what about you? How are things at the Institute?"  
  
Kitty shrugged. "Normal, not too much has happened."  
  
He smiled at her. "Come on, you've got to have something that happened."  
  
"I've been missing you." His smile was gone replaced by a serious expression.  
  
~*~  
  
/I wasted a dime and I can't call you  
  
I'll spend a lifetime if I fall for you/  
  
~*~  
  
Lance looked into her eyes feeling as though she must be lying. "Really?"  
  
"I'm sorry about calling you a `hood," Kitty said. "It's just. you were siding with Duncan, it felt like betrayal. But, I've been thinking and after what Scott did to Mystique, I guess I kind of understand where you were coming from. Not that I condone working with either of them."  
  
"'Condone'?" Lance chuckled. "Kitten, you've been around baldy too long." She stuck her tongue out at him. "Kitty, I'm not sorry about what I said." Her face fell. "I'm not good enough for you."  
  
"Lance-" He stood and began pacing.  
  
"It's true. Kitty, you're so sweet and innocent. I don't deserve you. You deserve better, you shouldn't even like a guy like-"  
  
"Sit down," Kitty commanded. Lance sighed sitting next to her. "Do you know how sick I am of everyone telling me how I should feel and what I should do? Do you know how many times I heard this week: 'He's just a loser, get over him'?"  
  
"Kitty-"  
  
"Hush!" Lance who had never seen this side of the Valley-Girl obeyed. "Listen, Rocky, I don't care about what they, or anyone thinks, I love you." Both froze.  
  
"Care to repeat that?"  
  
"I love you, Lance Alvers," Kitty said raising her head.  
  
"Again?"  
  
She laughed rolling her eyes. "I love you."  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
"Lance, do you, like, think I would have said it *three times* if I wasn't?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I thought it was the girl's job to fish for compliments. I love you because you're responsible-"  
  
"Responsible? Kitty I am not-"  
  
"Where does that money from your job go?"  
  
"Groceries, bills but-"  
  
"`Nough said. You're a good man, Lance. I may not like your friends but you protect them."  
  
"Brothers, pretty kitty. They're my family."  
  
"See? And you even tried to protect me in the mall. And because you have the most beautiful and expressive brown eyes, plus I totally love your hair." He laughed shaking his head.  
  
"I love you too, pretty kitty."  
  
She smiled. "Why?"  
  
He laughed again. "For one that tirade just a minute ago. You fight so hard for what you want and what you feel is right. You care so deeply and passionately. You're so smart, despite the whole Valley-Girl thing. Also, you have the clearest blue eyes that I have ever seen, and nice legs." She laughed swatting at him playfully.  
  
~*~  
  
/How could you believe in someone sorry sad like me?/  
  
~*~  
  
"So now what?" Kitty's question startled him.  
  
"I don't know. I want to be with you more than anything but. . . our teams."  
  
"I know. Stupid teams." He chuckled.  
  
"Let's not worry about that right now," he whispered. "We have a lot of time to worry about what's going to happen. Let's just be together." He leaned towards her and softly kissed her. She pulled away yawning. "I take that as an insult."  
  
Kitty laughed. "I'm sorry. I'm just tired after everything that happened." She moved closer to him and brushed her lips against his. He lowered his head deepening the kiss and pulling her against him. He then stood spreading his jacket on the ground.  
  
"Why don't we get some sleep? The storm doesn't seem to be slowing any." Kitty nodded in agreement. They stretched out partially on his jacket. She rested her head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her waist. The couple fell asleep contentedly.  
  
~*~  
  
/I know the deal and I thank you anyways/  
  
~*~  
  
Kitty woke up being jerked away from Lance. She looked up meeting the shades of a very angry Cyclops. Jean, Rogue, and Logan were also there. "Do you know how worried we were?" Logan yelled. "I could barely even track you two thanks to the rain, half-pint. When I smelled him we didn't know what happened to you!"  
  
"I'm sorry," Kitty stuttered as Lance stood stepping out of Logan's way. "I was walking home, it was raining and I was cold, Lance and I went here, we fell asleep-"  
  
"Why in the Hell were you walking in the first place?!" Kitty looked down not answering that. "Half-pint, answer the question."  
  
"I didn't want to go home!" she exclaimed. This startled everyone. "Everyone keeps insulting Lance, and telling me what to do and how to feel. I'm sick of it!"  
  
"Kitty-" Jean said in shock.  
  
"I may just be fifteen but that doesn't mean that I'm incapable of making my own decisions," Kitty said crossing her arms.  
  
"Kitty, he just has you confused-" Scott started. Kitty turned to her team leader narrowing her eyes.  
  
"This is all your fault to begin with!" she exclaimed. Scott blinked, surprised. "If you hadn't been so hard on him he may have stayed with the X-Men then I wouldn't have to worry about hiding my feelings!" Logan smirked at this. Kitty turned to him softening as she looked up at the man who had almost become a father-figure to her in the past year. "Mr. Logan, I'm sorry I worried everyone but I needed time alone." Logan nodded.  
  
"Are you ready to go home?" he asked.  
  
"Ready?" Scott demanded. "She has to come home."  
  
"Scooter, shut it," Logan said simply.  
  
"Is it okay if Lance drives me home?" Kitty asked.  
  
"Sure, half-pint, but get home soon," Logan said and drug Scott out of the cave. Jean followed. Rogue paused smiling at her roommate.  
  
"Ah'm proud of ya, Kit," she said before following the others out.  
  
~*~  
  
/And if you leave you know I'm crawling at your feet  
  
You never get weak when I'm leaning hard on you/  
  
~*~  
  
"Um, you do remember that my jeep broke down, right?" Lance asked.  
  
"Did it?" Kitty asked in mock-surprise. "Oh, darn." He slipped his jacket over her shoulders and the two began the walk back to his jeep. After around thirty minutes of work he got it working.  
  
"Remind me to never get on your bad side. You're scary when you get that mad, but also pretty damn hot." Kitty laughed rolling her eyes. They pulled up to the mansion. "I guess I leave you here."  
  
"Yeah," Kitty said.  
  
"Remember, pretty kitty, if the X-Geeks ever give you too much of a hard time our doors are always open."  
  
"Ditto." He leaned towards her kissing her thoroughly. She smiled leaning into the kiss returning it. They broke a part. "Friday night, you free?"  
  
"Yes, my night off."  
  
"Pick me up at seven?"  
  
"With pleasure." They kissed again. "Love you."  
  
"I love you too." She got out and walked into the mansion practically bouncing with happiness. Lance watched her go grinning.  
  
"'I'm back in the game'!" he exclaimed. (10 Things I Hate About You quote)  
  
~*~  
  
/And I guess that's just the way you are/  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Fini 


End file.
